Saturday, April 23, 2011

At least that was my dream. I dreamed that I woke up and it was 10 AM, an hour after the race was to start! I was really pissed. Thank goodness it was actually only 4:57 AM!!! I chanced another two hours of sleep before getting up and getting ready. I had some coffee, ate a banana, paced the floor, got dressed, paced some more, screwed around online, bit my fingernails...

I didn't think to take pre-race pictures back in November when I ran my first 5K (which I ran/walked in 33:11 [gun time] and had a 10:40 per mile pace). I didn't make that mistake again.

Why yes, my son does look absolutely thrilled to be off his ass and about to walk a mile.

We did head out later than I wanted to because someone wouldn't get his ass out of bed, and when he finally did, he took a shower. What the fuck, man? You're about to do physical activity and get all sweaty. I sure as hell didn't take a shower. But thanks for holding us up!

I was worried about finding a place to park, but that was not a problem. It wasn't a large event - just a badly timed fundraiser race (with it being a holiday weekend and all). Still, the turnout was quite nice and I was so thrilled to see some of my Go Far kids there. They were not "required" to be there so it was a pleasant surprise. I also roped my friend Jenn into bringing her son, but I think he just came for the Easter egg hunt that took place after the Fun Run. It was nice to see her though. I don't get to hang out with her enough, since we both left New York.

So back to the race. I debated whether or not I wanted to take my water bottle with me. Part of me said I was going to look like a moron because I did not see a single person with a water bottle. The other part of me reminded myself that my mouth gets very dry when I run (because I exhale through my mouth when the going gets tough - and it's more like a grunting blow, with lots of spittle and curse words). I also need something to do with my hands so I don't feel like a drunken velociraptor being chased by a T-Rex.

Or an enraged raptor chasing a pair of horrible actors, demanding its money back for the last 3 films.

So, I took my water bottle and it was a damned good thing I did because I had to pee even before I started the race there was no water station until just past Mile 2. If nothing else, I figured a drink would be a good excuse to slow down.

Which I did not do. Once I got past the slower runners, kids, and people strolling as if admiring the fucking flowers, I had a pretty good pace going. In the past, I'd been able to run for 10 minutes and then that was pretty much it. I hit the first mile marker at 9:44. Not too shabby. I was feeling good, considering some of the course was hilly. My legs weren't really tired, my heart rate was steady, and I wasn't huffing and puffing like I do when I climb to the top of the Currituck Lighthouse. So I kept going, hoping to get to the half-way point before I had to take a break and walk. This wasn't an out and back race, it was a loop-like thing, so I had no clue where half-way was. I got to 18 minutes and was still running, so I figured I had to be pretty close to the second mile marker. Sure enough, there it was. Just over a mile left. I was getting a bit tired, breathing harder, but I figured I could do it. If I paced myself, I could blast out the last tenth of a mile for a strong finish.

So, I kept running, and I soon got to a little turn around point that was annoyingly single-file, and I was behind slow people. As soon as I could, I shot past them, then I was sure I was going to die. I still had half a mile to go, I figured. But damn it, I was going to keep running, and I was going to beat November's time, even if it was just slightly. Going into this 5K, I wasn't even sure I'd be able to run. I just finished up my first month of Insanity, and have been having problems with leg fatigue. I was certain I'd have to walk most of the way, and not make any improvement over November's race.

But there I was, a tenth of a mile or so out from the finish line, trying to pass some geezer whose shorts were too short. I got along side him and picked up the pace. He went a little faster. I went a little faster and pulled ahead. Grandpa came up along side of me, huffing and puffing. I thought, "Oh, man, I hope he doesn't keel over because I am not stopping and ruining my time!" So I went even faster and he finally ate my dust. Or sand, whatever. I rounded the corner to see the Finish Line (which, actually still said START on it, I think). I saw Sam and Sebastian just on the other side with the camera. I had a quick conversation with the Universe, hoping they hadn't switched the camera mode to video, like they had in November.

I'm glad to see the old man coming in behind me. I don't have to feel so guilty for being a cocky asshole.

I ran the entire race and my time was 27:51 - an even 9-minute mile pace, and I came in second in the age group they put me in, which was the wrong one. They put me in 30-34. Had I been in the proper group of 35-39, I would have been sixth. I was 29th out of 84 or 85 females. I don't know what I was overall. I didn't care.

At this point, I wish I'd at least had Sam hold onto my sunglasses. And I really did not want to stand still because the Earth was spinning. More than normal.

THEN came the one-mile Fun Run. I wanted to run it, but I promised Sebastian I'd stay with him, and he's not a runner. He surprised me by actually running a bit, then at the very end, I ran ahead so I could take a picture of him crossing the finish line.

Run, baby, run!! There's a pizza and a Wii waiting for you at the finish line.

He claims to hate Go Far and running, but I know he loves the medals!

I am so damn proud of my baby and these medals!

THEN, there was a mix-up and some people came late because the advertised start of the Fun Run was different than when we actually started. So I left my son with my husband and ran that one, too! As soon as I got around the corner, I knew it was probably not the smartest idea, but damn it, I had opened my big mouth to the race coordinator and head Go Far coach so I had no choice but to suck it up and run that bitch. Thank goodness they moved the turn around point a bit. There's no way we did a mile because I was back at the finish line in under 7 minutes. Running. And I felt as dead as I looked.

Feel free to Photoshop some banana-colored vomit. I think I was singing, because my new mp3 player headphone thingy was awesome! Nope, I was gasping for air. Sam sucks as a photographer. Way to capture the moment, asshole!

So, to recap, my first run/walk 5K last November gave me a gun time of 33:11, and a 10:40 pace. Today, I ran the whole thing in 27:51 with a 9:00 pace. Not too shabby considering I don't run. I barely do short jogs with my Go Far kids so I'm really proud of myself for doing this. I know I won't beat today's time in next month's race because Insanity will surely kill me, but today, I was really hoping for improvement.

But today's victory isn't necessarily about finishing in under 30 minutes then doing another mile and a half. Today, I did not eat any of the cookies, candy, cupcakes or brownies that were provided before and after the race. I did eat two bananas after my 5K but those are ZERO points now so I ate them. Don't get me wrong - I wanted a damn brownie or 50 but I didn't. I knew, though, that I had to give my body something, so we went home and I took a quick shower (because a football team's locker room smells better than I did at that point - wasn't I smart to not waste time showering beforehand????) then headed off to Applebees, where I ate steak & shrimp with vegetables and half a red potato, and a salad. No dessert, thanks. And when I got home, I continued to make good food choices, whereas any other time I would use my stockpile of points to justify a bag of M&Ms, which would turn into a bag of M&Ms, a box of donuts, a quart of ice cream, a few Ho Hos, and whatever Easter candy I bought for Sebastian.

Surprisingly, my legs don't hurt the way they did after my first 5K. Of course, back in November, I was coming off an injury and hadn't done any cardio in over a month. I may not have had much running this time around, but Insanity at least helped me with the cardio and endurance aspect of it. My joints ache a bit and I'm sure I'll be sore in the morning but I will have to suck it up and get back to my regularly scheduled workouts.

But for now, I'm going to enjoy my lame accomplishments. They may be small victories, but I feel like I can do anything. I can't wait for next month's 5K, the 8K in November, the Shamrock in March, and the Flying Pirate in April. I've already agreed to coach Go Far again. As I texted with my online workout buddy (during the first Fun Run - bad Mommy!), she suggested that maybe running is my new thing. I said it wasn't, but Melissa is usually right about me and my things.